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(No Model.)

H. E. CLINTON.

Box Fastener.

No. 233,984. Patented Nov. 2, 1880.

Wines-5 5 .ZFzVEk/JZ' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. CLINTON, OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.

BOX-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,984., dated November 2, 1880,

Application filed September 13, 1880.

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY E. CLINTON, of Augusta, in the county of Richmond and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Hasp-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in hasp-fasteners for doors, gates, boxes, and other such devices and it consists in applying to an ordinary hasp a pair of jaws or hooks, which are placed upon the same pivot, and which are operated by means of a spring which is coiled around the pivot, and which jaws or hooks catch into the staple and thus lock the hasp, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a fastening for boxes such as are used for the transportation of fruit, butter, mineral-water, and other such articles, or a fastening for doors and gates where it is not necessary to use a padlock, but where it is necessary to prevent the door or gate from being too readily opened.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is an edge View of the same.

A represents an ordinary hasp, and B a staple. These two parts may be constructed in any manner, as they form no special part of my invention.

Pivoted, by means. of a rivet or screw, 0, to the hinged end of the hasp, are the two jaws or hooks D, which move in opposite directions, and which are held constantly closed by means of the spring E, which is coiled around the pivot. The outer ends of these jaws or (No model.)

hooks are made to pass each other a sufficient distance so that after having caught in the staple they can only be disengaged therefrom by pressing upon the rear or inner ends with two of the fingers, so as to force the longer ends sufliciently far apart to allow the hinged end of the hasp to be drawn outward over the staple. As soon as the two shorter or inner ends of the jaws or hooks are released the spring at once causes them to snap back into position again, as shown.

When it is desired to lock these jaws in the staple so that the jaws cannot be opened, a screw, nail, or other similar device is passed through the hole 0 in the hasp into the box or door, which device will prevent the rear ends of the two jaws or hooks from being forced together.

As above stated, thisfastening is especially intended for boxes which are used for the transportation of many different articles, or for doors and gates. When used upon a gate it will be found especially serviceable in preventing animals from opening the gate after it has been once closed.

Although two jaws are here shown it is evident that one alone may be used, if so desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim The combination of the hasp A, staple B, the catches D, and spring E, for causing the catches to close in the staple, substantially as shown.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of September, 1880.

H. E. CLINTON.

Witnesses:

CHAS. H. ISHAM, F. A. LEHMANN. 

